Oh, and "The Rainbow Fish" is right up there with "The Giving Tree" as unrealistic crap; it attempts emotionally bludgeon the exceptional into being exploited.
It's so interesting when you think you're extremely quiet and shy and nervous as a child, and you then find yourself in a new environment with different people and you feel safe, and you realise you're not naturally quiet and shy and it was just the environment you were in. I remember having those sorts of experiences too as a child - always so shy and didn't talk at all sometimes, but then I'd be put in a certain class (usually for me it was drama classes) and I'd be so talkative. Thanks so much for sharing all these stories, so nice to hear these early stories of yours! Looking forward to more!
I remember the story of the glittering rainbow fish being read to us in kindergarten too. However, I wasn't worried about the conveyed morale of a socially included rather than a repressed unique fish back then. I liked to play with several other children and all seemed harmonious for me. I was fairly lively and curious and sometimes fooled the educators with my friends. Nonetheless, I guess well-behaved. We were drawing, doing Bob the builder stuff, making candles, and digging for clay outside, which felt like weeks lol. Unfortunately, my memories of that time are now vaguer than yours but definitely different.
oh i do have lots of good memories and i think overall i was pretty happy :) i loved learning and playing and in general had a lust for life :) I guess the rainbow fish was pretty anti-Fi lol. I didn't like the fact the fish was bullied and the bullying only stopped because he started giving his scales. The bullies only benefited from this! :'(
Hey Ingrid, Good to catch up and nice to hear more of your story. From being naturally inclined to go one's own way (albeit more reservedly), to being an only child for the first decade or so, plus having somewhat restrictive schooling, our childhoods at least up to that point sounded respectively pretty similar. Our parents even sound similar! I never knew of your American roots. Yes, looking back the 90's were comparatively optimistic. I still am though with a naturally melancholy undercurrent that's always been there. 🙂 Thanks for sharing all this. -Carm
Ah! Quite the multi-cultural childhood! Sounds a LOT like my girls from my first marriage. Their mom was half French, half Greek (with some Saffartic Jewish ) and they went to international schools (as I was with the US State Dept.). My oldest ('90) is an INFJ and her younger sister ('94) an INTJ. Also big into "My Little Pony" for the personal interactions (as my youngest was as well). Disney and PBS KIds too. I did not realize you spent SO much time in the US because of your mom. Definitely an Extrovert based culture in the US, but I didn't know how poor an environment France was for a nascent introvert in comparison. I would have expected the opposite. Definitely an environmental difference that affected your development. Excellent vid!
I only spent a month in the US here and there for 2 years, but it did leave an impression! Then my grandma got well enough to be moved to an old age home. France was ok for introverts i guess but it was definitely a strict SJ environment.
You are so enjoyable to listen to. Fascinating hearing about your childhood experiences and how they shaped you as an INFP. Amazing how you were immersed in different cultures at a young age as well. I went to a very rigid religious school as a child where we were spanked with wooden paddles. Also my kindergarten teacher had extreme anger issues…… looking back I see how this environment had a profound impact on my personality. When I got to 2nd grade I had a very kind teacher and I remember being awestruck that kind teachers existed
Interesting. There are similarities between the 2 of us I see as an undercurrent theme of what I'm not sure though. Makes me wonder if INFPs would do better in a Montessori school? Your childhood also reminds me of my oldest daughter who was much the same way but an ISFJ. Lots of playdoh, My Little Pony (and Barbies) all over my house when my kids were coming along. I didn't like playing "house" with girls either as I, too, got to be the baby being bossed around. Thanks for sharing.
Hmm interesting! I often felt like the mommy daddy games were so boring, because who wants to pretend to be adults? Much more interesting to live in an actual fantasy world lol 😂 I do think i would have had a better time in a more "free" kind of school. I think though our childhoods were different we kind of had the same kind of individualistic streak?
